Young man burned by electric shock while climbing Pierrefonds rail bridge

A young man is suffering from second-degree burns to 90 per cent of his body after he was electrified while climbing a rail bridge on Montreal's West Island.

Const. Jean-Pierre Brabant of Montreal police said the 18-year-old was climbing the bridge structure over the tracks running between Laval and Pierrefonds when he was shocked. The incident happened shortly before 9 p.m. on Wednesday.

Brabant said the man subsequently fell from the structure, suffering multiple fractures.

Adele Lawrence lives near the bridge. She was arriving home from work at around 9 when a young woman approached her, saying her boyfriend was hurt.

"She was distraught and she said 'my boyfriend just fell and he was on fire,'" said Lawrence.

She helped the woman called 911 and waited for emergency services to arrive.

"I brought them over to the train track and that's when I saw the young man on the ground," said Lawrence.

The man was transported to hospital, where he remains in critical condition.

Brabant said investigators were at the scene near the Rivière des Prairies until 2 a.m. Thursday, speaking to the rail company and the two friends the young man was with at the time of the incident.

The friends said there was a bang and a brief explosion before the man fell down onto the tracks. The man may have accidentally touched some power lines that pass over the bridge.

The bridge services the Montreal–Deux Montagnes commuter train line.

Brabant said the train line was up and running according to schedule Thursday morning.